150 Hungarian Children to Salute Canada150 and its Emigrant History

OTTAWA, TORONTO, KITCHENER, LONDON, NIAGARA, WELLAND and WINDSOR, June 23, 2017 /CNW/ - 140 children from one of the most renowned choir groups performing Hungarian music are travelling to Ontario. The choir will be joined by children from the Hungarian community in Canada, and thus altogether 150 children will give Canada an historic vocal musical salute for its 150^th birthday.

The Szentegyháza Children's Philharmonia will perform "Oh Canada" and songs in Hungarian, English, French and Rumanian in seven cities across Canada from June 25 to July 5 as part of a Canada150 tour.

The choir has been practicing for more months.  See one of their practices here.

Please see the full programme calendar here.

Hungarian Canadians have been sharing their past with Canada for more than 130 years, after the first settlers arrived in southern Saskatchewan in 1886.

"Hungary will always be grateful for Canada for accepting so many talented Hungarians over our shared history," says Bálint Ódor, Hungary's Ambassador to Canada. " We also remember and remind others for the historic link between our nations and the great contribution of the Hungarians for building a successful, prosperous Canada."

The single biggest influx of Hungarians was after the revolution of 1956 when Canada received almost 38 thousand political refugees at numerous Canadian ports like Montreal and Halifax.

"Canada gave hope when hope in Hungary was stolen, Canada gave peace when my country was war-torn, Canada gave the prospect of a successful life when all Communism could offer was misery and oppression," says Ódor.

Today, Canada is home to more than 300 thousand Canadians who have Hungarian origins.

The Philharmonia was founded about 30 years ago in the Transylvanian Hungarian community of Szentegyháza (Vlahita, Romania) under the leadership of choir leader Sándor Haáz.

The Government of Hungary would like to invite Canadians to share with us this remarkable experience!

SOURCE Embassy of Hungary in Ottawa

Embassy of Hungary in Ottawa, 613-612-0082